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Friday, November 22, 2013

Things I'm Loving Lately - Third Edition

We made it to Friday! Here are a few things that I am loving this week!

Winter Weather
We are in the middle of our first ice/sleet/snow fall of the season, and I am surprised to say that (for the moment) I am loving this weather. A huge cold front came through yesterday while I was at work, and, since I did not plan ahead, I ended up running around town with no jacket in below freezing temperatures and 30mph winds. While the experience was awful, it really made me appreciate my cozy house once I finally made it here. I got on my PJs, made a comforting dinner, poured some wine, and lit a fire. It was awesome.

Jay and I stayed in, relaxed, and spent a good portion of the evening cracking up at the dogs, who were acting even more hilarious than usual. Wendy gathered up all of her "friends" from outside to protect them from the cold, and she spent the entire night proudly guarding her massive toy pile. She was acting so adorable, and I took about a thousand pictures.

And I can't forget Oliver...he was being a goofball, too.

Today it really started to sleet while I was at work, so I am planning a repeat of last night. It's only 4:45 and I am already in my PJs by the fire with a cup of tea writing this blog post. Now if only we could get a snow day on Monday!

Roomba Vacuuming Robot
This one's a biggie. After reading a blog post that raved and raved about the Roomba, Jay and I impulsively purchased a refurbished model from Amazon last week. This was actually our second impulse vacuum buy of the year...a few months ago we bought a Dyson Animal. We obviously have a thing for vacuums, but with two doggies running in and out all the time, our passion is justified. Keeping the house clean is a constant battle, so when we heard that there was a robot that could effectively do it for us, we just couldn't resist.

We have used little "Roomie" a couple times now, and I can already tell it will be worth every penny. The other day, I noticed that the dogs had tracked in a bunch of dead grass, so I simply pushed the start button on the Roomba and it drove around and around until every speck of dirt was gone. When it was satisfied with its work, it drove itself back to the home base and hopped right back on the charger. I love that it is small enough to go under low tables and couches, so it picks up lots of dirt that the regular vacuum can't even reach. AND you can even set it to run at night while you sleep, so you wake up to a sparkling clean house without lifting a finger. This thing is the best.

The dogs aren't too sure what to think, but they had better get used to it!

Pomegranates
Pomegranates must be in season, because I have seen them all over the grocery stores lately for cheap! I bought a couple recently, and they have been SO good! I really forgot how delicious pomegranate seeds are, not to mention they are one of the healthiest foods you can eat. They are high in antioxidants, vitamin C, and potassium, and they are a great source of fiber.

To get the seeds out, I just cut the pomegranate in half or into fourths, and then sort of start to turn each piece inside out into a bowl of water. Just roughly pop the seeds out and don't worry if some of the rind falls into the bowl. The seeds will sink and the rinds will float to the top, so you can easily just fish them out at the end. Drain the water and enjoy your seeds! Calbee Snapea Crisps
My current snack obsession - I cannot stop eating these! They taste like a pea pod and a cheese puff all rolled into one. The first ingredient is whole green peas, and they contain less fat, less sodium, and more fiber than regular potato chips.

Fox Cocktail Shaker
Jay and I recently bought a new little bar cabinet at Target, and when we spotted this fox cocktail shaker we joked that we needed it to complete the look. We weren't serious at the time, but somehow we couldn't stop making references to that shaker over and over after we got home (and singing "What Does the Fox Say"). I decided that we really did need it, so I ordered it online. Now it makes me smile every time I look at it!